Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started from Coursera

Do you have an idea that could help solve a societal problem? Are you wondering if starting a social enterprise is the best way to go forward? You are thinking about becoming a social entrepreneur!

In this course, you’ll critically examine what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business. You’ll craft a personal immersion plan while considering different ways to create impact. You’ll explore the personal challenges and connections to your life’s purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur.

Each week, you’ll see and hear from 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they’ve learned as well as the mistakes they’ve made and how you can overcome them. Among their experiences are: providing clean water in India and the Dominican Republic, warming premature babies without incubators, improving education in Africa and Detroit, and providing affordable fresh food to low-income residents of Los Angeles. Ultimately, you’ll be able to decide whether your idea is necessary for the world, and if starting a social enterprise is the right path for you. This course is based on the book “Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Starting Out, Scaling Up and Staying True” by Michael Gordon.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome to the course! You'll receive an introduction to the course structure and tools you'll use throughout each week. You'll meet the social entrepreneurs who will be sharing their stories in this course, and begin to think about what it means to be a social entrepeneur.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines personal challenges of social entrepreneurship

Taught by Michael Gordon, widely recognized for his expertise in social entrepreneurship

Emphasizes the importance of understanding the societal problem and its context before starting a social enterprise

Shares lessons learned and mistakes made by real-life social entrepreneurs, providing valuable insights for learners considering this path

Based on the book "Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Starting Out, Scaling Up and Staying True" by Michael Gordon, an established expert in the field

Guides learners through a self-assessment process to determine if social entrepreneurship is the right path for them

Reviews summary

Social entrepreneurship: purpose and foundation

According to learners, "Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started" is an inspiring and foundational guide for aspiring social entrepreneurs. Many praise its strong focus on self-reflection and personal purpose, helping students understand their "why" before diving into business mechanics. The real-life stories and interviews with diverse social entrepreneurs are consistently highlighted as the most valuable and invaluable aspect, offering authentic global perspectives. While it excels at building a mindset for social impact, some students caution that it is more theoretical and motivational than practical. Those seeking in-depth actionable strategies for business models or funding may find it lacks concrete how-to steps, making it best suited for absolute beginners.

Best suited for those new to social entrepreneurship.

"Still, a decent introduction for complete beginners."

"If you're already past the ideation stage, it might feel a bit basic."

"Good for absolute beginners, maybe."

"It's more philosophical and reflective than a strict business guide..."

Provides a strong conceptual foundation for social entrepreneurship.

"A very good introductory course to social entrepreneurship. It covers the basics well and provides a solid foundation."

"It's a great starting point, forcing you to reflect on your true motivations."

"It's well-designed for its 'getting started' title, setting realistic expectations."

"I found the course quite thought-provoking, especially the modules on personal challenges..."

Guides learners to align ideas with personal values.

"I particularly enjoyed the focus on self-reflection and understanding my 'why' before diving into the 'what'."

"The emphasis on 'necessity' and 'purpose' resonated deeply."

"It challenged my assumptions and guided me through a crucial self-discovery process."

"The self-reflection exercises were invaluable."

Authentic perspectives from diverse social entrepreneurs.

"The real-life examples from various social entrepreneurs were incredibly powerful and relatable."

"The videos with entrepreneurs were a highlight... offering real-world perspectives."

"The guest entrepreneurs provide diverse, authentic perspectives."

"I truly appreciate the course's holistic approach... The resources are top-notch."

More theoretical and motivational, less practical guidance.

"Some parts felt a bit theoretical and I wished for more practical, step-by-step guidance on starting a social enterprise."

"I was looking for more actionable strategies for business models or funding."

"It talks a lot about 'why' but not enough 'how'."

"It didn't provide enough depth for me to really feel ready to 'get started' beyond the initial conceptualization."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started with these activities:

Read Becoming a Social Entrepreneur

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Gain insights and inspiration from Michael Gordon's firsthand experience starting and scaling social enterprises.

View Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Starting Out,... on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow the book.
Read the introduction and first chapter to get an overview.
Take notes on key concepts and examples.
Identify a social problem you're passionate about.

Create a Resource Binder

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Organize course materials, notes, and research to create a valuable reference for future use.

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Gather course materials, including handouts, slides, and notes.
Review and organize the materials by topic.
Create a binder or digital folder to store the materials.
Regularly update the binder with new resources and insights.

Develop an Immersion Plan

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Define a problem, conduct research, and engage with stakeholders to build a solid foundation for your social enterprise.

Browse courses on Immersion

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Choose a social problem you want to address.
Research the problem and its root causes.
Identify and interview stakeholders, including beneficiaries and potential partners.
Develop a plan for ongoing research and learning.

Four other activities

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Write an Idea Critique Essay

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Evaluate your own and others' ideas for social enterprises, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and potential for scaling.

Browse courses on Critical Thinking

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Select an idea for a social enterprise.
Research and analyze the problem it addresses.
Identify the target audience and their needs.
Critique the idea based on its potential for impact, feasibility, and sustainability.
Present your critique in an essay.

Explore Social Impact Case Studies

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Learn from the experiences of successful social enterprises, identifying best practices and gaining insights into potential challenges.

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Identify and select relevant case studies.
Analyze the case studies, focusing on the problem addressed, solution implemented, and impact achieved.
Extract key lessons and insights.
Apply the learnings to your own social enterprise idea.

Attend Social Enterprise Networking Events

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Connect with other social entrepreneurs, learn from their experiences, and explore potential partnerships.

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Research and identify relevant networking events.
Register and attend the events.
Network with other attendees, sharing ideas and experiences.
Follow up with potential connections after the event.

Host a Social Impact Design Workshop

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Facilitate a hands-on workshop to develop innovative solutions to social problems, fostering collaboration and creativity.

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Plan the workshop by defining the goals, target audience, and activities.
Secure a venue and materials.
Recruit participants from diverse backgrounds.
Lead the workshop, facilitating discussions and guiding participants through the design process.
Evaluate the workshop and gather feedback for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Social Entrepreneur

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started develops the skills and knowledge to become a Social Entrepreneur. This course will help you critically examine an idea that could help solve a societal problem, and whether starting a social enterprise is the best way to go forward. You'll critically examine what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Entrepreneur

Nonprofit Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started can be beneficial for those aspiring to be Nonprofit Managers. It introduces the personal challenges and connections to one's life's purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur. You'll craft a personal immersion plan while considering different ways to create impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Program Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be helpful for those pursuing a career as a Program Manager. Through immersion, this course teaches you what it takes to be fully integrated into a problem and its context before you can begin to solve it. It helps build a foundation for managing complex social programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Consultant

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started can be valuable for individuals seeking a career as a Consultant. This course helps you take a critical look at your own ideas and the ideas of others, as well as reflect on the idea of 'necessity' and dive more deeply into your own ecosystem mapping.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Social Worker

Social Workers may benefit from taking Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started. This course introduces you to 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they've learned, which can provide valuable insights for those working in the social work field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Policy Analyst

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be beneficial for Policy Analysts. This course critically examines what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business. It discusses the personal challenges and connections to one's life's purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Community Organizer

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be helpful for those pursuing a career as a Community Organizer. It introduces you to 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they've learned as well as the mistakes they've made and how you can overcome them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Organizer

Grant Writer

Grant Writers may find Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started beneficial. This course helps examine whether your idea is necessary for the world, and if starting a social enterprise is the right path for you. It introduces you to the personal challenges and connections to your life's purpose as a social entrepreneur.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Fundraising Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be relevant for those aspiring to be Fundraising Managers. This course helps you reflect on different ways to create impact, and provides an understanding of the challenges and rewards of starting and running a social enterprise.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fundraising Manager

Marketing Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be helpful for aspiring Marketing Managers. It explores the personal challenges of starting and running a social enterprise, and provides insights into the unique marketing strategies and challenges faced by social entrepreneurs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts may find Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started beneficial. It critically examines what makes for a good idea, and whether that idea requires starting a new business. You'll craft a personal immersion plan while considering different ways to create impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Data Analyst

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be of some help to Data Analysts. This course introduces you to 11 real-life social entrepreneurs, working around the world, and sharing the lessons they've learned, providing valuable insights into data collection and analysis in the social impact sector.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Operations Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may provide some insights for Operations Managers. You'll learn more about immersion and what it takes to be fully integrated into a problem and its context before you can begin to solve it.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Product Manager

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be of some help to Product Managers. It explores the personal challenges of starting and running a social enterprise, and provides insights into the unique product development strategies.

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Software Engineer

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur: Getting Started may be helpful for Software Engineers interested in the intersection of technology and social impact. It introduces the personal challenges and connections to one's life's purpose before deciding to commit to becoming a social entrepreneur.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer